The contrast between the idyllic scene in the background Cloud’s little stealth mission in the foreground is as palpable as it is tragic. We step into Cloud’s leather boots as we’re invited to feel his sense of isolationĪs Cloud stalks through the back entrance to the house, we hear the happy sound of Jessie’s friends and family tucking into a pizza. What’s new, however, is how effectively Remake conveys to us all the ways in which, beneath his detached veneer, he desperately wants to let others in. Throughout this sequence, which flat-out doesn’t exist in the original, Cloud is portrayed as a lone wolf, deliberately distancing himself from others - no change here. Our spiky-haired hero does this by sneaking in the back while his allies distract Jessie’s mother by dropping in for a meal. Take, for example, a scene from early on in the game where Cloud helps fellow freedom fighter Jessie steal a keycard from her family home. The biggest changes to Cloud, for instance, come not in the dramatic setpieces, but in his quieter interactions with others. The most significant elements of Remake aren’t necessarily the loudest or most obvious. Minor spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Remake ahead.
